[Ord. 1998-14, 12/17/1998, § I]
This Part shall be known as the "Lower Macungie Township Alarm
Ordinance of 1998."
[Ord. 1998-14, 12/17/1998, § II; as amended by
Ord. 2011-12, 10/6/2011; and by Ord. 2013-04, 6/20/2013, § I]
A communication to the public safety agency indicating that
a fire has occurred or is occurring.
A device designed to automatically transmit an alarm (A)
directly to a public safety agency; or (B) to a person that is instructed
to notify the public safety agency of the alarm, including, without
limitation, the Lehigh County Emergency Communication Center.
A device which is interconnected to a telephone line and
pre-programmed to transmit the coded signal of an alarm to a dedicated
telephone trunk line or to dial a predetermined telephone number to
an alarm to a public safety agency.
The Board of Commissioners of Lower Macungie Township.
Any building or facility, either open or enclosed, used and
maintained for commercial purposes and not intended for residential
use. Commercial structures include, but are not limited to, office
buildings, community centers, personal service businesses, industrial
property, financial institutions, schools and educational facilities,
cultural facilities, medical centers, hotels/motels, malls, retail
stores, theaters, restaurants, taverns, shopping centers, places of
worship, farm land, utility buildings, warehouses, and garages.
A telephone line or lines which serve a public safety agency
which is dedicated to receiving transmissions from an automatic dialing
device.
The activation of an alarm device to which a public safety
agency responds when a fire has not occurred.
Any person who or which has contracted to engage or has engaged
in the act of installing one or more fire alarm devices.
An individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association
or other legal entity.
The Pennsylvania State Police or Township Public Safety Agency.
Application to the Township Public Safety Agency and approval
by the Township Public Safety Agency for installation of an automatic
dialing device in the Township.
A structure consisting of one or more dwelling units intended
to be occupied by one or more persons as separate living quarters
and containing sanitary facilities and kitchen facilities.
The Township of Lower Macungie.
Such entity designated as the Township Public Safety Agency
by resolution of the Township Board of Commissioners from time to
time.
[Ord. 1998-14, 12/17/1998, § III; as amended by
Ord. 2011-12, 10/6/2011]
1.Â
A person may not attach or use an automatic dialing device within
the Township without first registering as provided below and obtaining
prior approval of the Township Public Safety Agency to use the automatic
dialing device to alert the Township Public Safety Agency of an alarm
condition.
2.Â
Alarm Installation Requirements.
A.Â
Within 60 days from the effective date of this Part, every person
who uses an automatic dialing device in the Township shall register
same with the Township Public Safety Agency. On and after the effective
date of this Part, each person who desires to attach or use an automatic
dialing device within the Township shall register the same with the
Township Public Safety Agency. Such registration shall include but
not necessarily be limited to the following information:
(1)Â
The name, residence, and telephone number of the owner or lessee.
(2)Â
The address where the device is installed and the telephone
number of that address.
(3)Â
The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least two
persons to be contacted if the automatic dialing device is activated
and who are authorized to gain access to the address where the alarm
device is installed.
(4)Â
The name, address, and phone number of the installer of the
alarm device.
(5)Â
All facts, relevant in the Township's sole discretion, concerning
the design and layout of the premises to be protected by the automatic
dialing device.
B.Â
Such registration shall include a fee which may be adopted by resolution
of the Township Board of Commissioners from time to time.
C.Â
The person seeking approval under Subsection 1 or who has previously obtained such approval shall inform the Township Pubic Safety Agency of any change in the information provided at registration as soon as possible.
D.Â
After the enactment of this Part, owners or lessees must equip alarm
devices with timing mechanisms that will disengage the alarm device
after a maximum period of 30 minutes. Alarm devices without such timing
mechanism shall be unlawful in the Township and must be equipped with
a timing mechanism or disconnected by the owner or lessee within 60
days from the effective date of this Part.
E.Â
Within 60 days after the effective date of this Part, all persons
owning or operating existing or new automatic dialing devices that
transmit recorded messages directly to an Emergency Communication
Center shall contact the Lehigh County Emergency Communication Center
for the proper transmission procedure.
F.Â
All information furnished pursuant to these sections shall be kept
confidential and shall be solely for the use of the Township and the
Public Safety Agency.
3.Â
Alarm Operation Requirements.
A.Â
Alarm devices installed in the Township that are connected to a dedicated
telephone trunk line in the Lehigh County Emergency Communication
Center or the Township Public Safety Agency shall meet the following
requirements:
(1)Â
No more than two calls shall be made to the Lehigh County Emergency
Communication Center or the Township Public Safety Agency as a result
of a single activation of the automatic dialing device.
(2)Â
The sensory mechanisms used in conjunction with an alarm device
or automatic dialing device must be adjusted to suppress false indications
of fire or intrusion, so that the device will not be activated by
impulses due to fleeting pressure changes in water pipes, short flashes
of light, rattling or vibrating of doors and windows, vibrations to
the premises caused by the passing of vehicles, weather extremes,
or any other similar force not related to emergencies requiring protection.
(3)Â
All components comprising an alarm device or automatic dialing
device must be maintained by the owner or lessee in good repair to
assure maximum reliability of operation.
(4)Â
Each owner or lessee shall be required to provide external visible
and legible identification of the installing company on the protected
structure on or near the main entrance. This identification shall
include a twenty-four-hour emergency telephone number where someone
can be reached to deactivate the system.
(5)Â
The owner or lessee of an alarm device or automatic dialing
device shall be responsible for having any device rendering a false
alarm disconnected or repaired within one hour of the commencement
of the first such false alarm.
(6)Â
When messages evidencing failure to comply with the operational
requirements set forth in any section of this Part are received by
the Lehigh County Emergency Communication Center or the Township Public
Safety Agency, the automatic dialing device sending such messages
shall be disconnected in order to relieve the emergency service providers
from responding to false alarms. The Chief of the Township Public
Safety Agency is hereby authorized to demand that the owner or lessee
of the device, or his representative, disconnect the alarm device
or automatic dialing device until it is made to comply with the operational
requirements hereof.
4.Â
Installers' Duties.
A.Â
Each installer who sells or leases an alarm device or automatic dialing
device in the Township which is keyed to an Emergency Communication
Center or intermediary, after the effective date of this Part, shall
furnish to the owner or lessee a set of operating instructions; a
circuit diagram; a maintenance manual; and written information as
to how service may be obtained, including the telephone number of
the installer or agent responsible for service.
B.Â
Each installer who installs an alarm device or automatic dialing
device in the Township shall make service available to the owner or
lessee of same, directly or through an agent, within 24 hours of a
request by such owner or lessee for repair or service. Such service
shall be made available to such owner or lessee at his or her election
and expense.
C.Â
Each installer shall be licensed as an electrical contractor. Before installing any automatic dialing device, in addition to registration and approval by the Township, the installer shall comply with all requirements of the Uniform Construction Code [Chapter 5, Part 1] and the International Electrical Code, current edition.
[Ord. 1998-14, 12/17/1998, § IV; as amended by
Ord. 2011-12, 10/6/2011; and by Ord. 2013-04, 6/20/2013, §§ II,
III]
1.Â
False Alarm Violations.
A.Â
Residential Structures. A person who or which owns, uses or possesses
an alarm device or automatic dialing device in a residential structure
may not cause or permit more than one false alarm in a consecutive
six-month period. A person who or which owns, uses or possesses an
alarm device or automatic dialing device in a residential structure
that causes or permits a second false alarm in any six-month period
shall be subject to a fine of $150. All subsequent false alarms in
any six-month period shall be subject to a fine of $150 for each such
false alarm. Each such false alarm shall be considered a separate
violation. A person who or which violates this paragraph commits a
summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a
fine of $150 in addition to those fines set forth herein. The fine
shall be paid to the Township if the Township Public Safety Agency
responded to the subject false alarm and the Township or the Township
Public Safety Agency initiates the prosecution.
B.Â
Commercial Structures. A person who or which owns, uses or possesses
an alarm device or automatic dialing device in a commercial structure
may not cause or permit more than one false alarm in a consecutive
six-month period. A person who or which owns, uses or possesses an
alarm device or automatic dialing device in a commercial structure
that causes or permits a second false alarm in any six-month period
shall be subject to a fine of $300. All subsequent false alarms in
any six-month period shall be subject to a fine of $300 for each such
false alarm. Each such false alarm shall be considered a separate
violation. A person who or which violates this paragraph commits a
summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a
fine of $300 in addition to those fines set forth herein. The fine
shall be paid to the Township if the Township Public Safety Agency
responded to the subject false alarm and the Township or the Township
Public Safety Agency initiates the prosecution.
2.Â
A person who or that violates any provision of this Part other than the provisions of Subsection 1, above shall, upon conviction thereof, be ordered to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
3.Â
The Township or Township Public Safety Agency may deny or revoke
any permit issued or to be issued under this Part if the person applying
for such permit to whom such permit has issued has violated any provision
of this Part.
5.Â
Failure of the Township to exercise, or any delay in the Township
exercising, any right or remedy provided under this Part or by law
shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy,
nor shall it preclude or restrict any future exercise of that or any
other right or remedy under this Part.
